A chara,
With reference to comrade Jimmy Corcoran’s comments on my article “Time for change” in last month’s Socialist Voice, there seems to be some confusion, so I’ll try to clarify. The point I was trying to make is that the battle for the hearts and minds of our people must be won before anything will change in parliaments—or anywhere else for that matter. Up until now this battle has not been won, but more progress in the political knowledge of the class nature of society was made during the Right2Water campaign than for many years previously and in countless election campaigns.
Unfortunately, once the issue left the streets and was transferred from the communities to the politicians in Dáil Éireann it was watered down, as is the nature of our parliament as it stands. This is its job: to preserve capitalism. Of course every means at our disposal (including elections) should be and is used to win the “battle of minds.” Until this battle is won, nothing will change.
We are not looking for reforms, a nicer form of capitalism: our job is to smash it and build socialism. Our transformative strategy will build and increase class-consciousness and in doing so weaken our enemy, instead of compromising and actually strengthening capitalism, as is the case when the Right2Water demands entered the Dáil.
A weakened enemy is easier to defeat than a strengthened one. We must challenge capitalism to its core, not compete with it through reforms, as this only props it up. Our job is to tear it down.
In solidarity,
Jimmy Doran
